Southwest RivCo Soccer Coach Suspected In Player's Sexual Assault

MENIFEE, CA — A 49-year-old soccer coach suspected of sexually assaulting an underage soccer player was arrested early Thursday at his home in Menifee. He was released on bail the same day as his arrest.

Rosario Navarro Gonzalez was taken into custody at 12:27 a.m. in the 27900 block of Adams Avenue, said Sgt. Frank Schiavone of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

He was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta for lewd and lascivious acts with force on a child under the age of 14 years old. Gonzalez posted $35,000 bail the same day, according to inmate records.

Deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station began the sexual assault investigation in early May, learning the victim had allegedly been sexually assaulted by her private soccer coach on July 18, 2021, in the 64500 block of Pierson Boulevard in Desert Hot Springs.

Investigators also learned that the victim was contacted a second time by the soccer coach on Feb. 5 while the victim was at a business in the 40800 block of Winchester Road in Temecula, in the area of the Promenade Temecula shopping mall, Schiavone reported.

The girl's parents subsequently reported the incident to deputies and the Palm Desert Investigations Bureau, who later identified Gonzalez as the suspect.

Anyone with information related to this case was asked to call the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station at 760-836-1600.

If you wish to remain anonymous, call Valley Crimestoppers at 760–341–7867, or submit a tip at, valleycrimestoppers.org

City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.